DURHAM — With beach balls, tassels and mortar boards flying into the air, the Oyster River High School Class of 2013 celebrated their accomplishments together and looked ahead to their lives following high school.

“You care about the world around you,” principal Todd Allen told the 177 students dressed in blue and white gowns as they prepared to depart school grounds for the last time.

Immediately following the ceremony, students lit up in true Oyster River tradition with cigars on the field.

Salutatorian Jialin Shi, greeted the crowd with her own story of having come to this country from lesser means in China to ultimately earning her diploma and graduating from Durham Friday evening.

Following those words, class valedictorian John Parsons, wearing a glowing graduation cap, encouraged his peers to maintain their individual goals, but to not hold onto them so tight that they ignore where life leads them.

He thanked the educators that helped him reach graduation.

“The teachers at this place meant a lot to me,” he said.

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Valedictorian John Parsons gives his address to fellow graduates, faculty, friends and family during Oyster River High School’s 2013 graduation exercises in Durham Friday evening. (John Huff/Staff photographer)

Parsons told his graduating classmates not to necessarily be afraid of whatever the future holds, be it positive or negative.

“But perhaps you should fear failure just enough to want to avoid it,” he said.

And regardless of how many failures crop up the path to one’s goals or how many times failure is faced, he said it’s important to not lose sight of what is important.

However, he cautioned against a commonly used pile of advice that regardless of how many times one fails, always follow your dreams.

Instead, Parson asked his peers, “What if I told you not to follow your dreams or plan?”

“I’m not telling you to YOLO off in college,” he said, adding that he also wasn’t saying someone should ignore their goals.

But, not knowing at the (average) graduating age of 18 where life will lead, it’s equally as important not to ignore the unknown path.

“Embrace the unknown. Keep an open mind,” he said.

Veering from common words of encouragement, he said to not follow set dreams and to not “map out your plan on the road of life.”

“Don’t let your dreams get in the way of what’s truly important: living your life and loving your family and friends,” he said.

Superintendent James Morse presented diplomas to graduates, including Giles Bricker Huddleston, son of University of New Hampshire President, Mark Huddleston, who was proudly snapping photographs under the tent as his son accepted his diploma.

Parsons received a standing ovation following his words and again introducing Allen.

Allen acknowledged Parsons’ achievement of becoming the student ranked number one among his classmates.

Amid cheers, whistles, and applause for each of the graduates, camera flashes lit up the interior of the tent as graduates walked single file to the stage.

“I’ve had the privilege of knowing you since middle school,” Allen said before the traditional move of the tassel signifying official graduation from high school.

“The Class of 2013 is a remarkable group of people,” he said. “You are a caring and diverse group.”

Anticipating his presence 10 years from now when the Class of 2013 will gather again for its 10th class reunion, Allen said he hopes to see then what he saw in the faces of graduates Friday evening.

John Huff/Staff photographer
Graduates Kyle Knight, Dayne Sawtelle and Cassidy Carmichael, from left, light the ceremonial cigars at the conclusion of the Oyster River High School’s 2013 graduation exercises in Durham Friday evening.